Glycosyltransferase genes

ABSTRACT

A nucleic acid encoding a protein which has an amino acid sequence according to SEQ ID NO: 2, 12, or 14, or the amino acid sequence modified by addition or deletion of one or more amino acids and/or substitution by other amino acids, and which has activity to transfer a glycosyl group to the 3′-position of anthocyanins.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to nucleic acids encoding a protein which has an activity to transfer a glycosyl group to the 3′-position of anthocyanins, and to a method of using same.

BACKGROUND ART

In the floriculture industry, it is important to develop new and different varieties of flowering plants. In particular, regarding flower colour, which is one of the most important characteristics of flowering plants, classical breeding techniques that relies on crossing have been used to develop new varieties exhibiting various colours. However, since genetic resources are very limited among a particular plant species in which crossing can be carried out, it is rare for a single plant species to have a full spectrum of colour varieties.

Flower colour is predominantly due to a class of compounds, generally called anthocyanins, which belong to flavonoids. It has been known that there are various anthocyanins in plants, and the molecular structures of many of these compounds have already been determined. The colour of an anthocyanin is determined mainly by its structures (Harborne (1986) The Flavonoids, p. 565). Research has been conducted on enzymes, and genes encoding these enzymes, involved in biosynthesis of anthocyanins. There are some examples in which structure of anthocyanins were modified to alter flower colours by molecular biological techniques, and introduction of genes in plants (Holton et al. (1995) Plant Cell, 7, p. 1071; Tanaka et al. (1998) Plant Cell Physiol. 39. p. 1119).

The biochemical pathway for biosynthesis of anthocyanins up to anthocyanidin 3-glucosides is common in most flowering plants (Holton et al. (1995) Plant Cell, 7, p. 1071). Thereafter, anthocyanidin 3-glucosides present in plants are subjected to diverse modifications in a species- or varieties-specific manner. The diversity of this modification is one of the reason for the diversity of flower colours.

It is known that, although anthocyanins are unstable compounds in neutral solution, their stability is improved by modification with a glycosyl or an acyl group (Forkmann (1991) Plant Breeding, 106, p. 1). It is also known that they become bluer when an aromatic acyl group is added (Forkmann (1991) Plant Breeding, 106, p 1). It should be noted that the acyl group is not bound directly to the skeleton of the anthocyanidins, but indirectly via a glycosyl group that is bound to the anthocyanidin. Thus, in order for the stabilization and blue colour to be achieved by addition of the acyl group, it is necessary as a prerequisite that a glycosyl group have been added to the anthocyanidin.

In representative species of flowering plants exhibiting blue flower colour such as gentian, cineraria, and butterfly pea, their anthocyanins are modified with a glucose at the 3′-position of the B ring and the glucose is further modified with an aromatic acyl group (Yoshida et al. (1992) Tetrahedron, 48, p. 4313; Goto et al. (1984) Tetrahedron Letters, 25, p. 6021; Goto et al. (1991) Angrew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. 30, p. 17; respectively). Although it has been shown from a study using the main pigment of a gentian that the acyl group at the 3′-position of the B ring contributes to the stabilization and bluer colour of anthocyanidin (Yoshida et al. (2000) Phytochemistry 54, p. 85), it is prerequisite on the condition that a glycosyl group have been added to the 3′-position.

Several studies have been reported on glycosylation of flavonoids. For example, nucleic acids encoding enzymes that ctalyze a reaction to transfer a glucose molecule to a hydroxyl group at the 3-position of anthocyanidins have been cloned from snapdragon, gentian, perilla, barley, and corn (e.g. Tanaka et al. (1996) Plant Cell Physiol., 37, p. 711). Also, nucleic acids encoding enzymes that catalyze a reaction to transfer glactose to a hydroxyl group at the 3-position of anthocyanidins have been cloned from vigna mungo, and petunia (Mato et al. (1998) Plant Cell Physiol. 39, p. 1145; Miller et al. (1999) J. Biol. Chem. 273, p. 34011).

Nucleic acids encoding enzymes that catalyze a reaction to transfer glucose to a hydroxyl group at 5-position of anthocyanins have been cloned from perilla, verbena, and torenia (WO99/05287). A nucleic acid encoding enzymes that catalyze a reaction to transfer rhamnose to anthocyanidin 3-glucoside has been cloned from petunia (Brugliera et al. (1994) Plant J. 5, p. 81).

Also, a nucleic acid encoding enzymes that catalyze a reaction to transfer glucose to a hydroxyl group at the 7-position of flavonoids has been cloned from Scutellaria baicalensis, and it has been reported that a protein obtained by expressing this gene in Escherichia coli also catalyzes a reaction to transfer glucose to a hydroxyl group at the 7-position of flavonoids (Suzuki et al. (2000) Plant 210, p. 1006). A nucleic acid encoding enzymes that catalyze a reaction to transfer glucose to a hydroxyl group at the 5-position of betanidine has been cloned, and a protein obtained by expressing this gene in Escherichia coli catalyzes a reaction to transfer glucose to a hydroxyl group at the 4′- and 7-positions of flavonoids (Vogt et al. (1999) Plant J. 19:509–519).

However, there has been no report on nucleic acid encoding enzymes that catalyze a reaction to transfer a glucose to the 3′-position of anthocyanins, and activity of such a enzyme has not been measured. No such enzyme has been purified, nor has any nucleic acid encoding such an enzyme ever been cloned. Glycosyltransferase may catalyze reactions of transferring glucose to plural hydroxy groups, as described above. However, in order to accumulate a target anthocyanin in a plant, it is necessary to use an enzyme exhibiting high substrate-specificity.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention, there is provided an isolated nucleic acid encoding a protein which has an activity to transfer a glycosyl group to a hydroxyl group at the 3′-position of anthocyanins, preferably transferring a glucose only to a hydroxyl group at the 3′-position of anthocyanins. By using the nucleic acid according to the present invention that encodes a protein having an activity to transfer a glycosyl group to a hydroxyl group at the 3′-position of anthocyanins, it is possible to alter the colour of flowers or stabilize an anthocyanin. The nucleic acid according to the present invention that encodes a protein having an activity to transfer a glycosyl group to a hydroxyl group at the 3′-position of anthocyanins is effective for stabilizing the anthocyanins as well as for altering the colour of flowers by controlling addition of a glycosyl-acyl group to the 3′-position of the anthocyanins.

As described above, although it became evident that flower colour can be altered by modification of anthocyanins using a protein which has an activity to transfer a glycosyl group to a hydroxyl group at the 3′-position of an anthocyanin, the property of this enzyme has not been characterized, and the enzyme has not been purified, nor has the nucleic acid encoding the enzyme been cloned. In the present invention, the activity of this enzyme has been discovered from the flower petals of gentian, and the protein having this activity has been purified from the flower petals of gentian.

By determining a partial amino acid sequence of the enzyme, nucleotide sequences encoding the amino acid sequences were assumed, and oligonucleotide primers with those sequences were synthesized. Based on the nucleotide primers, a nucleic acid encoding a protein which has an activity to transfer a glycosyl group to the 3′-position of anthocyanin was cloned from a cDNA library of the flower petal of gentian. By expressing a cloned nucleic acid in yeast cells, the enzyme activity to transfer a glycosyl group to the 3′-position of anthocyanins was confirmed. Thus, it was confirmed that the cloned nucleic acid encodes a protein having an activity to transfer a glycosyl group to the 3′-position of anthocyanins.

Further, the present inventor extracted RNA from flower petals of cineraria and from pea, constructed cDNA libraries, and screened them using the cDNA encoding the gentian glycosyltransferase described in Example 4 as a probe. It was found that the obtained clone encodes a protein having an activity to the transfer a glycosyl group to the 3′-position of anthocyanins.

Further, in the present invention, a transgenic plant was produced by introducing a gene encoding a glycosyltransferase to the 3′-position and a nucleic acid encoding a glycosyltransferase to the 5-position into petunia, and it was confirmed that these nucleic acids function successfully.

Thus, the present invention provides a nucleic acid encoding a protein which has an amino acid sequence shown by SEQ ID NO: 2, 12 or 14, and which has an activity to transfer a glycosyl group to the 3′-position of anthocyanins, or a nucleic acid encoding the above amino acid sequence modified with addition, deletion of one or more amino acids and/or substitution by other amino acids.

Also, the present invention provides a gene which encodes a protein having an activity to transfer a glycosyl group to the 3′-position of anthocyanins, and which is obtained by hybridization of a part or all of the nucleotide sequence encoding an amino acid sequence shown by SEQ ID NO: 2, 12 or 14 under the condition of 5×SSC, at 50° C.

The present invention also provides a vector comprising the above-described gene, and a host transformed with the above-described vector.

The present invention also provides the protein which is encoded by the above-described gene.

The present invention also provides a method for producing a protein having an activity to transfer a glycosyl group to the 3′-position of anthocyanins, comprising the steps of culturing or growing the above-described host, and extracting the protein having the activity.

The present invention further provides a transgenic plant having the above-described nucleic acid introduced, or offspring of the plant or plant tissue having the same property.

The present invention also provides a cut flower of the above-described plant or offspring thereof having the same property.

The present invention also provides a method for adding a glycosyl group to the 3′-position of anthocyanins using the above-described nucleic acid.

The present invention also provides a method for altering the colour of flowers by using the above-described nucleic acid.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Nucleic acids as claimed in the present invention includes those encoding amino acid sequence as shown by SEQ ID NO: 2, 12 or 14. However, it is known that proteins having the amino acid sequence modified with addition or deletion of one or more amino acids and/or by substitution by other amino acids may continue to exhibit the same enzyme activity as the original protein. Therefore, a protein having an amino acid sequence shown by SEQ ID NO: 2, 12 or 14 modified with addition or deletion of one or more amino acids and/or substitution by other amino acids, and a nucleic acid encoding the protein, are also within the scope of the present invention as long as the protein continues to exhibit the same activity to transfer a glycosyl group to the 3′-position of anthocyanins.

The present invention relates to a nucleotide sequence shown by SEQ ID NO: 1, 11, or 13 or a nucleotide sequence encoding the amino acid sequences shown by SEQ ID NO: 2, 12 or 14, or a gene which encodes a protein having the activity to transfer a glycosyl group to the 3′-position of anthocyanins, and which hybridizes to a part of the above-described nucleotide sequence, for example the nucleotide sequence encoding six or more amino acids in the commonly conserved region among glycosyltransferases under the condition of, e.g., 5×SSC and 50° C. The appropriate hybridization temperature varies according to the nucleotide sequence or the length of the nucleotide sequence, and is preferably 50° C. or lower when using a DNA fragment of 18 bases encoding 6 amino acids as a probe.

Nucleic acids by such a hybridization may include naturally-occurring nucleic acids including, but not limited to, those derived from plants, for example, nucleic acids derived from cineraria, butterfly pea, lobelia, California lilac. The nucleic acid selected by hybridization may be a cDNA or a genome DNA.

The present invention also relates to the use of a nucleic acid for altering the colour of flowers wherein the nucleic acid encodes a protein having an amino acid sequence exhibiting homology of about 20% or more, preferably 50% or more, for example 60% or 70% or more, with an amino acid sequence shown by SEQ ID NO: 2, 12 or 14, and having an activity to transfer a glycosyl group to the 3′-position of anthocyanins.

As specifically shown in Examples, a nucleic acid having a native nucleotide sequence can be obtained, for example, by screening of a cDNA library. A DNA encoding an enzyme which has a modified amino acid sequence can be synthesized on the basis of DNA having a native nucleotide sequence using ordinary site-specific mutagenesis or the PCR method. For example, a DNA fragment to which a modification is to be introduced is obtained by treatment of the native cDNA or genome DNA with restriction enzymes. Then, using this fragment as a template, and using a primer having the desired modification introduced, site-specific mutagenesis or the PCR method is carried out to obtain DNA fragments having the desired modification introduced therein. Thereafter, the DNA fragment having the desired modification introduced therein may be ligated to a DNA fragment encoding other parts of the target enzyme.

Alternatively, in order to obtain DNA encoding an enzyme which has a shortened amino acid sequence, DNA encoding an amino acid sequence longer than the target amino acid sequence, such as the DNA encoding the full-length amino acid sequence, may be cut with suitable restriction enzymes. If the resulting DNA fragment does not encode the entire target amino acid sequence, a DNA fragment consisting of the missing sequence may be synthesized and ligated.

By expressing the obtained nucleic acid using the nucleic acid expression system in Escherichia coli and yeast, and by measuring the enzyme activity, it is possible to confirm that the obtained nucleic acid encodes a protein having an activity to transfer a glycosyl group to the 3′-position of anthocyanins. It is also possible by expressing the nucleic acid to obtain, as a gene product, a protein having an activity to transfer a glycosyl group to the 3′-position of anthocyanins by using an antibody to an amino acid sequence shown by SEQ ID NO: 2, 12 or 14. Further, it is possible to use an antibody to clone a nucleic acid encoding a protein having an enzyme activity to transfer a glycosyl group to the 3′-position of anthocyanins derived from other living organisms.

Therefore, the present invention relates to a recombination vector, especially an expression vector, comprising the above-described nucleic acid, and to a host transformed by the vector. Both prokaryote and eukaryote may be used as a host. In prokaryote, bacteria such as Escherichia coli that belongs to the genus Escherichia, or Bacillus subtilis that belongs to the genus Bacillus may be used as a usual host. As a eukaryotic host, a lower eukaryote, for example, a eukaryotic micro-organism such as yeast and mold fungi which belong to fungi may be used.

In yeast, a micro-organism belonging to Saccharomyces genus such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae or the like may be used as a host. In mold fungi, a micro-organism belonging to the genus Aspergillus such as Aspergillus oryzae, Aspergillus niger, and a micro-organism belonging to the genus Penicillium, may be used as hosts. Animal cells and plant cells may also be used as hosts. In animal cells, cell system derived from a mouse, hamster, monkey, a human, etc. may be used. Insect cells such as silkworm cells, or even an adult silkworm itself, may be used as a host.

The expression vector of the present invention includes expression control region that depends upon the kind of host to which it is to be introduced, such as a promotor and a terminator, replication origin, and the like. As a promotor for an expression vector in bacteria, commonly used promoters such as a trc promotor, tac promotor, lac promotor or the like may be used. As a promotor for a expression vector in yeast, a glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase promotor, PH05 promoter or the like, and as a promotor for an expression vector in mold fungi, an amylase promotor, a trpC promotor or the like may be used.

As a promotor for an expression vector in animal cell hosts, a viral promotor such as SV 40 early promotor, SV 40 late promotor, or the like may be used. Construction of the expression vector may be performed in accordance with any of the usual methods known to those skilled in the art, using restriction enzymes, ligases, etc. Transformation of host cells with the expression vector may also be performed in accordance with any of the usual methods.

The target protein can be obtained by culturing, raising or growing the host transformed with the above-described expression vector, and by recovering the gene product from the culture or the like, and purifying in accordance with usual methods, for example filtration, centrifuging, crushing of cells, gel filtration chromatography, ion exchange chromatography, and the like.

Although nucleic acids encoding enzymes having activity to transfer a glycosyl group to 3′-position of anthycyanins derived from gentian, cineraria, and butterfly pea, are described herein, the present invention is not restricted to these nucleic acids, and the origin of the nucleic acid encoding a protein which has an activity to transfer a glycosyl group to the 3′-position of anthocyanins may be a plant, an animal, or a micro-organism. Irrespective of the origin, the nucleic acid can be utilized for altering flower colour as long as the protein has an activity to transfer a glycosyl group to the 3′-position of anthocyanins.

Further, the present invention relates to a transgenic plant or its offspring or tissue thereof, including cut flowers, which is obtained by introducing a nucleic acid encoding a protein having an activity to transfer a glycosyl group to the 3′-position of anthocyanins and which has its hue thereby adjusted. By using a nucleic acid obtained according to the present invention which encodes a protein having an activity to transfer a glycosyl group to the 3′-position of anthocyanins, it is possible to enhance glycosylation of the 3′-position of anthocyanins, or to suppress glycosylation of the 3′-position of anthocyanins, and consequently to alter the colour of flowers. Here, in conjunction with the above-described nucleic acid, a nucleic acid encoding an enzyme having activity to transfer an acyl group to the glucose at the 3′-position may be used.

In the present state of the art, it is possible to introduce a nucleic acid into a plant and to cause the nucleic acid to be expressed in a constructive or tissue-specific fashion. It is also possible to suppress the expression of a target nucleic acid using, for example, an anti-sense method or a co-suppression method.

Examples of plants that can be transformed in this manner include, but not limited to, roses, chrysanthemums, carnations, snapdragons, cyclamens, orchids, prairie gentians, freesias, gerberas, gladiolus, baby's breath, kalanchoes, lilies, pelargoniums, geraniums, petunias, torenias, tulips, rice, barley, wheat, rapeseed, potatos, tomatos, poplars, bananas, eucalyptuses, sweet potatos, soybeans, alfalfa, lupine, corn, and cauliflower.

EXAMPLE

The present invention will be described in detail below in accordance with Examples thereof. Unless otherwise specified, the molecular biological techniques employed are those set forth in WO96/25500.

Example 1

Measurement of Enzyme Activity to Transfer a Glycosyl Group to the 3′-position of Anthocyanin in Gentian Flower Petals

A crude enzyme solution was extracted from gentian flower petals in accordance with the procedure already reported procedure (Fujiwara, Plant Cell Engineering Series 9(1998), p. 99, Syujyunsha Co.).

20 μl of the crude enzyme extract solution, 10 μl of 0.5M potassium phosphate (pH 8.5), 10 μl of 5 mM UDP-glucose, 10 μl of delphinidin 3,5-diglucoside (1.5 mg/ml) were mixed and maintained at 30° C. for 10 minutes. Then, following the procedure of Fujiwara et al. (Fujiwara et al. Plant J. (1998)), reaction was terminated, and the reaction product was analyzed using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). As a result, it was determined that gentian flower petals contain an enzyme having activity to transfer a glycosyl group to the 3′-position of an anthocyanin.

Example 2

Purification of a Enzyme having an Activity to Transfer a Glycosyl Group to the 3′-position of Anthocyanins

The method employed for purifying an enzyme is, unless otherwise specified, that already reported procedure (Fujiwara, Plant Cell Engineering Series 9(1998), p. 99, Syujyunsha Co.). A crude extract solution was obtained from about 500 g of gentian flower petals, and a fraction of 40 to 70% saturation was obtained by salting out using ammonium sulfate. After dissolving this fraction in buffer A (20 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.5), 10% glycerol, 10 μM p-amidinophenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride (APMSF), 0.1% beta-mercaptoethanol), product was desalted using Sephadex G-25 (Pharmacia Co.). The desalted fraction was adsorbed to Q-Sepharose (Pharmacia Co.) equilibrated with the buffer A, and eluted with a linear gradient formed with buffer A and buffer A containing 500 mM NaCl.

The active fraction was adsorbed to Blue A (Amicon Co.) equilibrated with the buffer A, and was eluted with a linear gradient formed with the buffer A and the buffer A containing 1.5 M NaCl. The active fraction was dialyzed in Buffer B (20 mM sodium phosphate pH 7.0, 10% glycerol, 10 μM p-amidinophenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride (APMSF), 0.1% beta-mercaptoethanol), and then adsorbed to DEAE-Sepharose (Pharmacia Co.) equilibrated with the buffer B, and eluted with a linear gradient formed with the buffer B and the buffer B containing 500 mM NaCl. The active fraction was concentrated and desalted with Microcon 30 (Amicon Co.), and after the solvent was replaced by 0.5 ml of the buffer B, protein was purified using Superose 12 (Pharmacia Co.) equilibrated with the buffer B. Using the above-described method, approximately 7.5 μg of a purified protein was obtained.

Example 3

Determination of Partial Amino Acid Sequence of the Enzyme Having Activity to Transfer a Glycosyl Group to the 3′-position of Anthocyanins

Using the purified protein obtained in Example 2, its partial amino acid sequences were determined in accordance with the method of Fujiwara et al. (Fujiwara et al. Plant J. (1998)). The amino acid sequences obtained are as set forth below.

GT15 Lys-Ser-Gln-Val-Pro-Pro (SEQ ID NO: 3) GT25 Asn-Ile-Ser-Glu-Ser-Glu-Asn-Asp (SEQ ID NO: 4) GT27 Ala-Val-Glu-Glu-Gly-Ser-Ser- (SEQ ID NO: 5) Tyr-Ser-Asp-Leu-Ser-Ala GT32 Glu-His-Arg-Pro-Gln-Ala-Leu- (SEQ ID NO: 6) Val-Ala-Asp-Leu-Phe-Phe-Tyr-Trp-Ala- Asn-Asp-Ala-Ala GT42 Gly-Trp-Ala-Pro-Gln-Val-Leu- (SEQ ID NO: 7) Ile-Leu-Glu-His-Glu-Ala-Val-Gly-Ala- Phe-Val

From among above sequences, based on the sequence Trp-Ala-Asn-Asp-Ala-Ala (SEQ ID NO: 8), an oligonucleotide G3′GT2 was constructed.

-   -   G3′GT2 5′-TGGGCIAA(T/C)GA(T/C)GCIGC-3′ (I: inosine) (SEQ ID NO:         9)

XhoI-T (5′-CTCGAGTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT-3′) (SEQ ID NO: 10) was also synthesized.

Example 4

Cloning of the Nucleic Acid Encoding an Enzyme to Transfer a Glycosyl Group to the 3′-position of Anthocyanins

Using 3 μl of phage solution of gentian petal cDNA library as a template, and 50 pmole of each of G3′GT2 and XhoI-T as primers, and using Taq polymerase (Takara), PCR reaction was carried out in total volume of 50 μl following the method recommended by the manufacturer. After the solution was maintained at 95° C. for 2 minutes, the reaction was carried out for 25 cycles with a cycle profile consisting of 95° C. for 1 minute, 42° C. for 2 minutes and 72° C. for 3 minutes, and then the solution was maintained at 72° C. for 10 minutes.

The reaction solution was separated using agarose gel electrophoresis, and a band of approximately 700 bp was recovered and was subcloned to pCRII vector (Clonetech) in accordance with the method recommended by the manufacturer. The nucleotide sequence of the obtained plasmid was determined, and it was found that the plasmid contained nucleotide sequences encoding the amino acid sequences of GT15 and GT25. Screening of gentian cDNA library was performed using this DNA as a probe, and clones containing full-length cDNA were obtained. The complete nucleotide sequence of one clone (pG3′GT7) was determined and is shown in SEQ ID NO: 1. The amino acid sequence deduced from this nucleotide sequence is shown in SEQ ID NO: 2.

Example 5

Expression of a Nucleic Acid Encoding a Protein Which has Activity to Transfer a Glycosyl Group to the 3′-position of Anthocyanins in Yeast

A DNA fragment of approximately 1.6 kbp, which was obtained by digestion of pG3′GT7 with XhoI, was recovered. This DNA was ligated to a DNA fragment obtained by digesting pYE22m with SaII, and the obtained plasmid that has the initiation codon nearer to the promotor on pYE22m was denoted by pYG3′GT7. pYE22m was constructed according to the method as set forth in Japanese Patent Publication No. 4-228078. This plasmid was introduced into yeast cells to obtain transformed yeast cells. After the yeast cells were cultured and disrupted with glass beads, enzyme activity was measured as in Example 1 using delphinidin 3,5-diglucoside as substrate. It was found that the extract from transformed yeast exhibits the activity to transfer a glycosyl group to the 3′-position of anthocyanins.

No activity was found in the yeast in which the plasmid was not introduced. When cyanidin 3,5-diglucoside was used as substrate, no new peak was produced. Thus, the enzyme exhibits activity to the delphinidin 3,5-diglucoside which has 3 hydroxyl groups in the B ring, but exhibits no activity for adding a glycosyl group to cyanidin 3,5-diglucoside which has only 2 hydroxyl groups, suggesting that this enzyme has high specificity to the structure of the B ring of the substrate, and has activity for adding a glycosyl group specifically to the third hydroxyl group in the B ring.

Example 6

Expression of a Nucleic Acid Encoding a Protein Which has an Activity to Transfer a Glycosyl Group to the 3′-position of Anthocyanins in Escherichia coli

Using the PCR method, an NcoI site was introduced so as to coincide with the initiation methionine codon of pG3′GT7, and the region from the initiation methionine to poly A of pG3′GT7 was inserted in the NcoI/KpnI site of E. coli expression vector pQE61 (QIAGEN). The obtained E. coli expression vector was denoted by pG3′Q1. pG3′Q1 was introduced into the Escherichia coli JM105 strain, and after preculturing overnight at 37° C., a part of the precultured medium was innoculated into 8 L of a main culture medium, and was cultured at 27° C. until OD₆₀₀=0.6. To induce expression of the 3′GT gene, IPTG was added so as to reach a final concentration of 0.4 mM, and was cultured overnight at 27° C. After cells were collected, washed, and suspended in 400 ml of crushing buffer (25 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.5), 250 mM NaCl, 1 mM EDTA, 0.5% β-mercaptoethanol), the cells were disrupted by ultrasonic treatment. After centrifuging, the resultant supernatant was subjected to processing with DE52, and a 40–70% ammonium sulfate precipitate fraction was recovered. After desalting, the crude protein solution was loaded onto a DEAE-TOYOPEARL (Toso Co.) preequilibrated with buffer C (25 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.5), 0.5% β-mercaptoethanol), and was eluted with buffer C containing 0–0.5 M NaCl. The active fraction was recovered, adsorbed to BlueA (Amicon Co.) equilibrated buffer C, and was eluted with a linear gradient formed with the buffer C and the buffer C containing 2 M NaCl. The obtained active fraction was used in the reaction, to be described later, as a purified sample of the 3′GT portion.

Example 7

Confirmation of the Position of Glycosyl Addition

Using the purified sample of the 3′GT portion obtained in Example 6, the reaction was conducted at a scale 100 times larger than that described in Example 1 delphinidin 3,5-diglucoside as substrate. After the reaction was incubated at 30° C. for 15 minutes, 1 M HCl was added to a final concentration of 0.16 M, to stop the reaction. After the reaction solution was loaded onto Seppak C18 (manufactured by Waters Co.) and rinsed for desalting and for removal of protein, the pigment fraction was eluted with a solution of 50% acetonitrile and 0.1% TFA, and concentrated under reduced pressure. The pigment fraction was purified using separation HPLC. The preparative HPLC equipped with a column YMC-Pack D-ODS-5 (manufactured by YMC Co.) of 2 cmφ*25 cm, and mobile phase of A: water, B: 50% acetonitrile 0.5% TFA, 6 ml/min., linear gradient of B20%→B50% (60 min), and detection was performed with A520 nm⁻AUFS:0.32. The eluted product was collected in 20˜22 minutes, was concentrated under reduced pressure, and was then freeze-dried. LC-Q (Thermoquest Co.) was used as MS, and measurement was conducted with ESI, positive. As a result, a peak of molecular ion 789 (M+) was obtained, and it was confirmed that the reaction product is delphinidin 3,5′-diglucoside modified by addition of a glucose.

Also, 2.5 mg of the freeze-dried compound was subjected to NMR analysis. Using 0.6 ml of 10% TFA-d/CD30D as a measurement solvent, measurement of ¹H NMR and ROESY (¹³C NMR) was conducted by DMX-500. As a result of ROESY, ROE was observed between the peak of the 2′-position of the B ring at 8.12 ppm and the peak of the 1-position of glucose at 5.03 ppm. From this result, it was apparent that the binding positions of the three glucoses are the 3-, 5-, and 3′-positions of delphinidin, and it was confirmed that the product of the enzyme reaction is delphinidin 3,5,3′-triglucoside, as was intended.

Example 8

Analysis of Substrate Specificity

Using the purified sample of the 3′GT portion obtained in Example 6, the substrate-specificity of the 3′GT was analyzed. It was confirmed as in Example 5 that 3′GT exhibits activity to delphinidin 3,5-diglucoside which has three hydroxyl groups in the B ring, but not to cyanidin 3,5-diglucoside which has only two hydroxyl groups. It also exhibits activity to delphinidin 3-glucosyl-5-caffeoylglucoside. Assuming the relative activity to delphinidin 3,5-glucoside to be 100%, the activity to delphinidin 3-glucosyl-5-caffeoylglucoside is about 50%. Trace amount of products (1% or less) were also observed using delphinidin or delphinidin 3-diglucoside as a substrate. From retention time of HPLC and the absorption spectrum, the reaction product is considered to be a substrate having a glycosyl group added to the 3′-position thereof.

Example 9

Expression in Petunia of a Nucleic Acid Encoding a Protein Which has Activity to Transfer a Glycosyl Group to the 3′-position of Anthocyanin

A petunia (Skr4 X Da strain) cannot add a rhamnose to a glucose at the 3-position due to a mutation of the gene encoding anthocyanin 3-rhamnosyl transferase, and accumulates delphinidin 3-glucoside as the main anthocyanin pigment of flower petals. A binary vector pSPB1112 was constructed for coexpression of a pG3′GT7 cDNA which encodes a protein having activity to transfer a glycosyl group to the 3′-position of anthocyanin of gentian and a pTGT5 cDNA (WO99/05287) which encodes a protein having an activity to transfer a glycosyl group to the 5-position of anthocyanin derived from torenia, and was introduced into the petunia.

Construction of pSPB1112 was performed as follows. First, an expression cassette comprising the E12 35S promotor having two repetitions of enhancer sequences on the upstream of the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promotor (Mitsuhara et al. (1996) Plant Cell Physiol. 37, p. 49), gentian pG3′GT7 cDNA of and a NOS terminator was constructed on the plasmid vector pUC19 with a HindIII site at the 5′ end, and a EcoRI site at the 3′ end. This was cut out at HindIII/EcoRI, and was inserted into the HindIII/EcoRI cleavage sites of a binary vector pBINPLUS for introduction into plants (vanEngelen et al., Transgenic Research 4, p. 288) to produce pSPB1110. Meanwhile, a plasmid vector pUCAA was constructed with AscI inserted in both ends of a multi-cloning site of pUC19, and an expression cassette for torenia pTGT5 comprising a MAC1 promotor (Comai et al. (1990) Plant Mol. Biol. 15, p. 373), torenia pTGT5 cDNA, and a mannopine synthease gene terminator was constructed on PUCAA with the HindIII site at the 5′ end, and the EcoRI site at the 3′ end. The entire pTGT5 expression cassette was cut out from the pUCAA vector by AscI digestion, and was inserted in AscI cleavage sites of pSPB1110 described above in the same direction as the expression cassette of gentian pG3′GT7, i.e. both expression cassettes are oriented with LB upstream. The resultant plasmid was denoted by pSPB1112.

Plants that formed shoot on a selective medium containing kanamycin, and exhibited rooting were acclimatized. Anthocyanin pigment was extracted from flower petals of each transformed plant, and was analyzedusing HPLC. In all the transformed plants analyzed, 0.5˜6.8% (relative to total anthocyanin) of delphinidin 3,5′,3′-triglucoside was detected. On the other hand, in the extract of lower petals of best plant, no delphinidin 3, 5′,3′-triglucoside was detected, and most of the pigment was delphinidin 3-glucoside. It was evident from this result that, in the transformed plants, the transformed nucleic acids encoding gentian 3′-glycosyltransferanse and the torenia 5-glycosyltransferase successfully functioned, and produced delphinidin 3,5′,3′-triglucoside using delphinidin 3-glucoside as a substrate.

Example 10

Cloning of a Nucleic Acid Which Encodes a Protein Having an Activity to Transfer a Glycosyl Group to the 3′-position Derived from Cineraria

Petals of cineraria contain cinerarin (delphinidin 3-malonyl-glucoside, 7-caffeoyl-glucosyl-caffeoyl-glucoside, 3′-caffeoyl-glucoside) as the main anthocyanin pigment. Thus, cineraria is expected to have a nucleic acid which encodes a protein having activity to transfer a glycosyl group to the 3′-position of anthocyanins. RNA was extracted from flower petals of cineraria by the method using guanidine hydrochloride buffer-ultracentrifuge (WO96/25500), and cDNA library was constructed. Using DIG labeling and the detection kit (Amersham) in accordance with the method recommended by the manufacturer, about 300,000 phage clone of the cDNA library of cineraria flower petal as screened using DIG-labelled gentian pG3′GT7 cDNA by the PCR method as a probe. Screening was conducted in accordance with the method recommended by the manufacturer of the above-mentioned kit, using a hybridization buffer containing 30% formamide. Hybridization was performed at 37° C., and washing was conducted in 5×SSC containing 1% SDS at 55° C. As a result of sequencing of 15 positive clones, 1 clone pSPB1090 was obtained which encodes an amino acid sequence exhibiting high identity with 3′ GT of gentian. The entire nucleotide sequence of pSPB1090 CDNA is shown in SEQ ID NO: 11, and the amino acid sequence deduced from the nucleotide sequence is shown in SEQ ID NO: 12.

The protein encoded by pSPB1090 cDNA exhibited 39% identity at the level of amino acid with the 3′-glycosyltransferase encoded by gentian pG3′GT7 cDNA. On the other hand, the identity of the protein encoded by pSPB1090 with other glycosyltransferase, for example, 5-glycosyltransferase of anthocyanin of perilla, and 3-glycosyltransferase of anthocyanin of snapdragon or gentian, was all 24%. Since the glycosyltransferase encoded by cineraria pSPB1090 cDNA exhibited significantly higher identity with the gentian 3′-glycosyltransferase, it can be said that the glycosyltransferase encoded by cineraria pSPB1090 cDNA has activity to transfer a glycosyl group to the 3′-position of anthocyanins.

Example 11

Cloning of Nucleic Acid Which Encodes a Protein Having an Activity to Transfer a Glycosyl Group to the 3′-position Derived from Butterfly Pea

Petals of butterfly pea contain ternatin (delphinidin 3-malonyl-glucoside, 3′-glucosyl-coumaroyl-glucosyl-coumaroyl-glucoside, 5′-glucosyl-coumaroyl-glucosyl-coumaroyl-glucoside) as the main anthocyanin pigment. Thus, butterfly pea is expected to have a nucleic acid which encodes a protein having activity to transfer a glycosyl group to the 3′-position of anthocyanins. In the same manner as in Example 10, a cDNA library was constructed using RNA extracted from flower petals of butterfly pea to obtain a cDNA library for hybridization with DIG labeled gentian pG3′ GT7 cDNA. Sequencing of 51 positive clones revealed that one clone encodes a protein with high identity with 3′ glucosyltransferase of gentian. The entire nucleotide sequence of pSPB1087 cDNA that can be considered as a full length of cDNA is shown in SEQ ID NO: 13, and the amino acid sequence deduced from this nucleotide sequence is shown in SEQ ID NO: 14.

The protein encoded by pSPB1087 cDNA exhibits an identity of 53% at the level of amino acid with the gentian 3′-glycosyltransferase. This score of identity is significantly higher compared to that with other glycosyltransferase, for example, an identity of 28% with anthocyanin 5-glycosyltransferase of perilla, or an identity of 25% with anthocyanidine 3-glycosyltransferase of gentian. Identity of the protein encoded by cineraria pSPB1090 with the protein encoded by butterfly pea pSPB1087 was 44%. Also in the phylogenetic tree obtained by CLUSTAL W analysis (Nishimura, Oono, Protocol of Experiment on Protein 2, Structural Analysis (1997) Syujunsha), proteins encoded by pSPB1090 of cineraria and by pSPB1087 of butterfly pea are placed nearest to the 3-glycosyltransferase of anthocyanins.

From what has been described, it can be said that pSPB1090 of cineraria obtained in Example 10 and pSPB1087 of butterfly pea obtained in the present Example both encode proteins having activity to transfer a glycosyl group to the 3′-position of anthocyanins.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

According to the present invention, a nucleic acid involved in biosynthesis of anthocyanins and encoding a protein which has activity to transfer a glycosyl group to the 3′-position of anthocyanins has been cloned for the first time. It is possible to express the nucleic acid encoding the protein at petal according to the present invention, or to suppress the expression, thereby to alter the structure of anthocyanins and the colour of flowers. 

1. An isolated nucleic acid encoding a protein that has an activity to transfer a glycosyl group to the 3′-position of anthocyanins, wherein said nucleic acid comprises a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 1, 11 and
 13. 2. An isolated nucleic acid encoding a protein which has an activity to transfer a glycosyl group to the 3′-position of anthocyanins, and which comprises the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, 12 or
 14. 3. A vector comprising the nucleic acid according to claim 1 or
 2. 4. An isolated host cell transformed with the vector of claim
 3. 5. An isolated protein comprising the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, 12 or
 14. 6. A process for production of a protein comprising the steps of: culturing or growing the host according to claim 4; and collecting a protein having an activity to transfer a glycosyl group to the 3′-position of anthocyanins from the host.
 7. A method for adding a glycosyl group to the 3′ position of anthocyanins comprising expressing a nucleic acid according to claim 1 or claim 2 to produce a protein which transfers a glycosyl group to the 3′-position of anthocyanins, and contacting said protein with anthocyanins. 